CARAMEL APPLE BREAD

Caramel Apple Bread bursting with fresh apple, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, then topped with an incredibly delicious & easy to make caramel glaze.

Caramel Apple Bread is the perfect recipe for quick sweet bread this time of year. Use any type of apple that you’d like, although I love it with Pink Lady apples. This recipe is easy to make, but it does take some time as you need to cool the bread, then after you drizzle the glaze, you’ll have to let the glaze set. It’s well worth the wait though as this Caramel Apple Bread has incredible flavor!

UPDATED: After receiving a ton of comments with mixed results on the Caramel Glaze, I’ve replaced the recipe! So below you’ll find the updated, new & improved, EASY version that tastes absolutely amazing. Enjoy!

Another Update: I added back the instructions and ingredients for the original 3 ingredient glaze!

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How long does it take to bake Caramel Apple Bread?

A regular 8-9″ loaf pan of caramel apple bread will bake in about 45-55 minutes. If you like using mini loaf pans, they take 30-35 minutes to bake. If you’d like to adapt this recipe for muffins instead, bake those for 14-18 minutes. Always check for doneness either by measuring the temperature of the bread with a meat thermometer- it should read 190 degrees F, or by inserting a toothpick in the center and having it come out clean.

Did your apple bread sink in the middle?

This happens to me occasionally too! Often it’s because I’ve over mixed the batter. Quick bread (referring to a bread recipe that doesn’t use yeast) does not like to be stirred too much, so try to just barely mix all the ingredients together. Another culprit could be overfilling the pan. The bread pan should be only half full each time. As always, make sure your leavening ingredients- baking soda and baking powder- aren’t too old. Baking soda should only be on your shelf for 6-9 months before purchasing new. I purchase it in bulk (I bake a lot!) and refrigerate it to help it last longer.

How do you peel an apple?

There are a few ways to peel an apple, but I prefer to use a simple metal peeler. Wash the apple, then begin peeling away the skin starting at the top of the apple and circling around. You can also use a paring knife, or a fancy apple peeler like this one here, that also slices and cores your apple.

Caramel Apple Bread Recipe

1 cup smooth unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup peeled, cored, and finely diced apple (1 apple)

Caramel Glaze:

5 TBSP butter

3 TBSP caramel ice cream topping

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

dash of salt

How do you make caramel apple bread?

Spray a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray, then set it aside. Preheat the oven to 350°.

Combine the applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whisk well to blend.

Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir just enough to combine; do not over mix. Fold in the apples.

Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake on the center oven rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 60 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and put it on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and place it on the rack to finish cooling.

To make the caramel glaze topping: Melt butter in a small bowl. Whisk in caramel ice cream topping. Add in powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking in between. Once it’s all added, whisk until smooth. If caramel glaze is too thick to drizzle on the bread, put it in the microwave for 20 seconds.

Pour caramel over the top of the apple bread. Let sit 1 hour, until caramel topping has set. Slice and Enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter, or in the fridge. Freeze bread by wrapping completely in plastic wrap twice, then wrapping with foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Caramel Apple Bread bursting with fresh apple, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, then topped with an incredibly delicious & easy to make caramel glaze.

Course: Quick Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Ingredients

1cupsmooth unsweetened applesauce

1/2cupgranulated sugar

1/2cuppacked light brown sugar

2large eggs

1/4cupcanola or vegetable oil

1teaspoonvanilla extract

2cupsflour

1teaspoonbaking powder

1/2teaspoonbaking soda

1/2teaspoonsalt

1/2teaspooncinnamon

1/8teaspoonnutmeg

1cuppeeledcored, and finely diced apple (1 apple)

Caramel Glaze:

5TBSPbutter

3TBSPcaramel ice cream topping

1 1/2cupspowdered sugar

dashsalt

Instructions

Spray a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray, then set it aside. Preheat the oven to 350°.

Combine the applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whisk well to blend.

Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir just enough to combine; do not over mix. Fold in the apples.

Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake on the center oven rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 60 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and put it on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and place it on the rack to finish cooling.

To make the caramel glaze topping: Melt butter in a small bowl. Whisk in caramel ice cream topping. Add in powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking in between. Once it's all added, whisk until smooth. If caramel glaze is too thick to drizzle on the bread, put it in the microwave for 20 seconds.

Pour caramel over the top of the apple bread. Let sit 1 hour, until caramel topping has set. Slice and Enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter, or in the fridge. Freeze bread by wrapping completely in plastic wrap twice, then wrapping with foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Alternative Recipe for Caramel Glaze {this is the glaze that was in the recipe originally)

3-Ingredient Caramel Glaze

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 TBSP milk

To make the caramel glaze topping: Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium heat. Add in brown sugar and milk and whisk constantly. Bring to a boil, then boil for 2 minutes while continuing to whisk. Remove from heat and <strong>let cool about 30 minutes to 1 hour</strong>, until caramel has thickened, stirring every 10 minutes or so. You need to continue the stirring while cooling so that the sugar fully dissolves. <em>(See more tips on making the caramel glaze below!

TIPS ON MAKING THE CARAMEL GLAZE:

It seems that some are having a hard time making the caramel glaze, so I wanted to elaborate on how it’s done. It’s a very, very simple recipe and method. I have an electric stove, so if you have a gas stove, you’ll want to decrease the temperature to low when cooking it. It comes together very fast- on my stove on heat level 4 (medium low) it takes me about 8 minutes. So in 8 minutes I’ve added the cold butter to the pan, melted the butter, added the brown sugar and milk. Once that begins boiling- NOT a full, hard rolling boil, just a gently boil- time 2 minutes, then take the pan off the heat.

Leave it in the pan to cool! If the temperature changes too drastically here, the caramel will separate. So leave it in the pan and just give it a gentle whisk every 5-10 minutes. I’ve glazed the bread several ways. You can let it sit for more like an hour and you’ll have to spread it around like I did in the video. I’ve also let it sit for more 30-40 minutes and have poured it on the bread- it coats it nicely, then runs down the sides, no spreading necessary. Leave the glaze for a couple hours to fully set! During this time the sugar continues to dissolve so that the glaze isn’t grainy.

I hope that helps! I think it’s almost too simple- resist the urge to equate it with making caramel-it’s a lot faster & easier.

To make the caramel glaze topping: Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium heat. Add in brown sugar and milk and whisk constantly. Bring to a boil, then boil for 2 minutes while continuing to whisk. Remove from heat and

let cool about 30 minutes to 1 hour

, until caramel has thickened, stirring every 10 minutes or so. You need to continue the stirring while cooling so that the sugar fully dissolves.

Recipe Notes

TIPS ON MAKING THE CARAMEL GLAZE: It seems that some are having a hard time making the caramel glaze, so I wanted to elaborate on how it's done. It's a very, very simple recipe and method. I have an electric stove, so if you have a gas stove, you'll want to decrease the temperature to low when cooking it. It comes together very fast- on my stove on heat level 4 (medium low) it takes me about 8 minutes. So in 8 minutes I've added the cold butter to the pan, melted the butter, added the brown sugar and milk. Once that begins boiling- NOT a full, hard rolling boil, just a gently boil- time 2 minutes, then take the pan off the heat. Leave it in the pan to cool! If the temperature changes too drastically here, the caramel will separate. So leave it in the pan and just give it a gentle whisk every 5-10 minutes. I've glazed the bread several ways. You can let it sit for more like an hour and you'll have to spread it around like I did in the video. I've also let it sit for more 30-40 minutes and have poured it on the bread- it coats it nicely, then runs down the sides, no spreading necessary. Leave the glaze for a couple hours to fully set! During this time the sugar continues to dissolve so that the glaze isn't grainy. I hope that helps! I think it's almost too simple- resist the urge to equate it with making caramel-it's a lot faster & easier.

If you like this Caramel Apple Bread, check out more Fall recipe favorites of ours:

What apples can you use to make apple bread?

When you bake apple bread it’s a good idea to use a more robust variety of apple so that the apple holds up when baking. My favorite variety of apple to use is Honey Crisp. If you can’t find Honey Crisp apples or if they’re a bit too expensive, you can also use Fugi apples or Granny Smith apples. Try to avoid using softer apples like Red or Golden Delicious as they’re not ideal for baking.

What bread pan is the best?

I bake a lot of bread and the pans I prefer are either aluminized steel or ceramic. Both types of pans will bake bread more evenly and release the bread more easily after baking. I’ve used glass pans in the past and it seems like my bread sinks too often when using them, so I stopped. I also don’t like using dark or nonstick pans because the bread cooks unevenly. It darkens on the outside before the bread is cooked on the inside, so it’s easier to burn.

Can you make apple cake instead of apple bread?

You can use this exact recipe to make a caramel apple cake instead of apple bread. Simple follow the recipe directions using a 8×8 glass pan instead of a bread pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes and then proceed with the recipe as indicated.

Can I grate the apple instead of dicing it?

You can grate the apple needed for this recipe instead of dicing it. Know that the apples will be smaller and will blend into the bread after baking. You might not have the bits of apple chunks throughout each slice but it will still taste delicious and have a great apple flavor.

Can apple bread be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze this apple bread. I prefer freezing it before adding the caramel glaze. It will stay fresh for 2-3 months in the freezer. I like to first wrap it in parchment paper or freezer paper, then put it in a ziplock freezer bread. Instead of using a ziplock bag you can wrap it in foil or plastic wrap.

Caramel Apple Bread bursting with fresh apple, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, then topped with an incredibly delicious & easy to make caramel glaze.

Course: Quick Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Ingredients

1cupsmooth unsweetened applesauce

1/2cupgranulated sugar

1/2cuppacked light brown sugar

2large eggs

1/4cupcanola or vegetable oil

1teaspoonvanilla extract

2cupsflour

1teaspoonbaking powder

1/2teaspoonbaking soda

1/2teaspoonsalt

1/2teaspooncinnamon

1/8teaspoonnutmeg

1cuppeeledcored, and finely diced apple (1 apple)

Caramel Glaze:

5TBSPbutter

3TBSPcaramel ice cream topping

1 1/2cupspowdered sugar

dashsalt

Instructions

Spray a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray, then set it aside. Preheat the oven to 350°.

Combine the applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whisk well to blend.

Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir just enough to combine; do not over mix. Fold in the apples.

Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake on the center oven rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 60 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and put it on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and place it on the rack to finish cooling.

To make the caramel glaze topping: Melt butter in a small bowl. Whisk in caramel ice cream topping. Add in powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking in between. Once it's all added, whisk until smooth. If caramel glaze is too thick to drizzle on the bread, put it in the microwave for 20 seconds.

Pour caramel over the top of the apple bread. Let sit 1 hour, until caramel topping has set. Slice and Enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter, or in the fridge. Freeze bread by wrapping completely in plastic wrap twice, then wrapping with foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.

I’ve just made it with gluten free flour and made mini loaves…. just delish… remember when you use gluten free flour you tend to need to add just a little more flour. I check consistency of batter, if it’s a bit too runny then add table spoon at a time extra till you get the right consistency.

Jessica, I forgot to print off your previous recipe of this caramel apple bread which I made two weeks ago, and we loved it just the way you had it at that time! Is there any way that you can tell me what your old recipe was for the glaze? I’d rather do it that way than use ice cream. Thank you, Lori

The glaze was awful, based on reading comments it should be just brought to a simmer not a full boil as instructions say, I couldn’t try it again as I had no more butter but I added an extra splash of milk to my nasty separated goo and popped in in the microwave for 2 minutes stirring every 30 seconds or so and tada the glaze was saved, will not be trying this stove top method again. Even though you may have successfully made it this way a thousand times your instruction on how to properly make it is poor even though “it’s so easy”.

So let me start off by saying your directions were excellent! Secondly, I only had dark brown sugar and golden delicious apples but the bread still turned out beautifully.

I just did the glaze – left it for a few then went back to stir and it looked lumpy! So I added a little more milk and heated it up and stirred. Just poured over the bread and it looked wonderful! The real test will be my husband!

I have made this recipe twice and it turned out fantastic both times. I used the older 3 ingredient recipe for the glaze and it is so easy to make. I love brown sugar and butter and think this glaze recipe is more like the old fashioned caramel frosting. Just follow all of the tips given to you when making it. This bread is wonderful with a cup of coffee or tea. Thanks for sharing it.

Hi, I made the glaze with brown sugar, milk, and butter. It was delicious. The first time I did it it failed because I put it in the freezer for a bit and then heated it up and the quick temperature changes affected it. But the second time, it worked perfectly following your directions. I wanted to know…can the glaze be made a day or two in advance?